A high-ranking leader of the New People’s Army was apprehended by authorities earlier this week in Davao del Norte.
Porferio Tuna, Jr., also known as Danny, Ampong, or Ka Simon, serves as the 2nd Deputy Secretary and an Executive Committee member of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee of the communist terrorist group.
He was arrested during a joint law enforcement operation on October 2, 2024, in Purok Magkidong, Barangay Mankilam, Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
The operation involved the 1001st, 1002nd, and 1003rd Infantry Brigades, along with the Regional Intelligence Division of Police Regional Office XI, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) XI, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) XI, and other police units.
Tuna, Jr. has been implicated in numerous heinous crimes. These include orchestrating an assault on the 60th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, which resulted in the death of an officer, as well as an ambush on July 10, 2014, in Barangay Anitapan, Mabini, Davao de Oro that led to the deaths of two enlisted personnel.
He faces multiple criminal charges including murder, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, robbery with violence, and attempted homicide.
Previously detained at the Davao del Norte Provincial Jail, Tuna, Jr. was granted bail in 2016 to participate in peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front Panel in Oslo.
However, after these negotiations concluded, he chose to jump bail and failed to report to authorities to face his court cases.
Major General Allan D. Hambala, Commander of the 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, commended the collaborative efforts of Agila troopers and other law enforcement agencies.
He stated that Tuna Jr.’s apprehension represents a significant blow to the leadership of the communist terrorist group in Southern Mindanao.
